


Reforged

by aqueentorattlestars



Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Drabble, F/M, Oneshot, Training
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-17
Updated: 2018-01-17
Packaged: 2019-03-05 22:52:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13397988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aqueentorattlestars/pseuds/aqueentorattlestars
Summary: Nesta is training and Cassian watches from the shadows.Oneshot. Drabble.





	Reforged

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by a line I read a long time ago on Tumblr about a grin made for war.

Every breath was a shuttered intake as lungs desperately tried to fulfill their job. Her body was slick with sweat; tunic hugging onto her figure, completely drenched. The hour had been forgotten as time morphed together into one ambiguous thread of fluidity. Three sparring partners had come and gone that eve. Yet she still remained; fists bloodied, body bruised, and legs trembling-- but that grin. Oh, that grin remained.   
  
**“Again.”**  
_“Enough,”_ the fourth sparring partner countered, his own body aching from the ferocity of the halfling’s assaults.   
**“Again.”**  
_“You’re barely standing. Enough.”_  
**“Again.”**  
_“You’re mental,”_ and the fourth left. It was of no matter-- let them leave, she would stay. She would push through.  
  
Stronger, faster, steadier.  
  
Improvement must be made…  But not for the sake of pleasing anyone. Not for pleasing her sisters or some high lord or a bastard Illyrian. No. Those souls were forgotten in the mind of Nesta. Something had developed in her; a burning desire to better herself for her and only her.   
  
Nesta swiped her tongue along her bottom lip. Metallic blood delighted her taste buds. That blood was a reminder. A reminder of a weakness someone had found in her defenses; a reminder to press on until she found perfection in form; a reminder not to forget what happened when one became satiated with themselves.

 

Cassian had taught her well-- vexing, deadly Cassian.   
  
Once upon a time ago, he had told her he did not want to break her…

But he did.

He broke her.

Broke the barriers that she had put on her potential.

Broke the belief that she was weak.

Broke the spirit of fear within her.

Broke the walls of desperation.

He broke her.

And reforged her.

He filled the cracks of her soul with hope’s titanium, melded her in the fire of faith, and cooled her in the waters of discipline.   
  
Every night, she had stayed after their sessions. Pushing, pushing, pushing herself to be a person she could be proud of. Someone that her father could have been proud of.  Did Cassian know about her extra time put in? Probably. But it was never something she made a point to let him know about-- this was for her. Not to impress him.   
  
It was why it had not surprised her to see him in the shadows at the door. No words were shared.  
  
Nesta tilted her head to the side, cracking her neck and flashed him a grin as she picked up where she left off.

 

A grin of sharp and _cunning_ and _wild_ , I’ve got nothing left to lose, brittle, I’ve seen the fucking world and I know what I’m up against, kiss me one last time, tongue demanding and desperate, heavy breaths in the dark and sweat on skin and fuck, if I can’t dream you the world I’ll go out and take it.  
A grin made for war.   
  
It was a grin that was returned before he turned and faded into the shadows, leaving his protege to prepare to rattle the world.

 


End file.
